Diet / Weight Loss Advice please

lottie_30

Hi everyone. So last year in Feb 2012 I started attending a slimming club in the UK called Slimming World. After a year on the plan I had lost just over 3 1/2 stone. I found I got fed up of the plan and went back to my old ways and ate rubbish. I have gained near enough all of my weight back. I am now back at the gym again and have a personal trainer. So my dilemma is do I go back to slimming world. Noted you can eat as many carbs and protein as you want so didn't help my portion size, calorie count or just healthy eating? I want to lose weight and fat and get more lean / toned. I am doing strength with a. Mix of cardio in the gym.

I am not goo with vegetables but admit I do need to eat more of them. I want my family to start earring better. I have a holiday I may I want to focus on and look good on.

Any advice please? Thanks

grimendale

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants?hl=sexypants

The above link should help. Anything that allow you to eat "as much of X as you like" isn't teaching you sustainable habits, so I would recommend giving the (free) link above a try first. It's worked for a lot of people (myself included).

JesterMFP

Keep it simple: eat the foods you like and count calories. You might find you start eating a bit differently because some foods are easier to fit into a calorie restriction than others, but it will happen organically, not because you "should" be eating certain foods and are forced to cut out the things you actually like.

Once you're comfortable with that, you can (if you want) start paying more attention to the nutritional balance of your diet. At this point, start making sure you're getting plenty of protein (general recommendation is more than what MFP recommends).

Vegetables are great - very good for you, but they're not a requirement for weight loss. Honestly, eat the foods you like and make any changes gradually. Only make changes that you know you can live with so you don't feel like you have to "fall off the wagon" at a later date.

To start eating more vegetables though, experiment with different ways of cooking them. Roast veg are lovely, very different from boiled/steamed. Or, start making soups.

lottie_30

Thanks guys for your help. My trainer did say to eat more protein. She said 1.5g of protein per lb of body weight, same for carbs and then 0.5g per lb for fat. What you think? I estimated calories on TDEE as 1700.

JesterMFP

Thanks guys for your help. My trainer did say to eat more protein. She said 1.5g of protein per lb of body weight, same for carbs and then 0.5g per lb for fat. What you think? I estimated calories on TDEE as 1700.

I'm no expert on protein, but the general recommendation around here tends to be around 1g of protein per lb of lean mass - so that will be less than your total weight.

cafeaulait7

I think counting calories is easiest, and it helps prepare you for maintenance where you just get a few hundred more every day. Try to eat like you want to later, but just in smaller portions (so you lose weight). Or later on, add back in a more glasses of wine with dinners, etc. Don't restrict stuff you'll want to eat later, unless you just have it less often than you'll be able to on maintenance.

But with counting calories, it is important to count them or know you are really cutting them down in some other way (like eating half out at dinner). Don't just guess or it really doesn't work, lol.